Nouvelles

Murray Brewster · CBC News The federal government's plan to award to a group of companies led by Lockheed Martin Canada the contract to design and support the construction of the navy's new frigates has been — nominally — put back on track. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has rescinded an order, issued late last month, that prevented the signing of the deal. The decision to reverse course was made Monday after Public Services and Procurement Canada "certified in writing that the ... procurement is urgent and that a delay in awarding the contract would be contrary to the public interest," according to a copy of the ruling. The decision opens the way for the government to finalize the contract, which is still under negotiation. The Lockheed Martin Canada-led team was selected in October as the preferred bidder after a nearly two-year-long competition to select an off-the-shelf design for the 15 new warships that eventually will replace the navy's frigates. One of the competitors, Alion, asked the CITT to investigate the procurement deal, saying the preferred warship design will need substantial changes and doesn't meet the navy's requirements as spelled out in the government tender. The company also has asked the Federal Court in a separate filing for a judicial review of the long-awaited decision. That case is still pending. The federal government hopes to be able to sign a contract this winter. The order to postpone implementing a deal could have had a devastating impact on the $60 billion program, which already has suffered a series of delays. One of the biggest concerns involved an anticipated production slowdown at the go-to shipyard for warship construction, Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax. The federal government is expecting gap of, possibly, 18 months between the completion of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships and the beginning of construction on the new frigates, known as Canadian Surface Combatants. The Liberal government has attempted to mitigate the slowdown by confirming the construction of six Arctic patrol ships. Further delays to the new frigates would have made that worse. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trade-tribunal-puts-frigate-program-back-on-track-1.4941507

OTTAWA, Ontario, and MIRABEL, Quebec, Dec. 13, 2018 – Lockheed Martin Canada and L3 MAS announced today they have joined forces to offer a military aircrew training solution for the Department of National Defence Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) project. The FAcT project will deliver a relevant, flexible, responsive, and effective aircrew training program for military pilots, Air Combat Systems Officers and Airborne Electronic Sensor Operators to meet the future requirements of the Canadian Armed Forces. Leveraging Lockheed Martin Corporation's global experience in designing, delivering, and operating full-spectrum training solutions, including those in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Australia, Lockheed Martin Canada is prepared to deliver a Canadian solution to train the next generation of Canadian Armed Forces aircrew. “Lockheed Martin Canada is excited about the opportunity to team with L3 MAS to offer a fully integrated, innovative and low-risk solution for the Royal Canadian Air Force future aircrew training requirements,” said Charles Bouchard, Chief Executive, Lockheed Martin Canada. “Lockheed Martin is a world leader in providing leading-edge ‘full schoolhouse' aircrew training solutions, and we look forward to working with the Government of Canada to offer the right solution for Canada's next generation of aircrew.” L3 MAS, as the premier In-Service Support (ISS) integrator for the RCAF, will offer its proven fleet management, logistics and maintenance capabilities in support of all training assets to ensure optimum performance, flexibility and value for money for the Government of Canada. “L3 MAS is delighted to team with Lockheed Martin Canada to help deliver an advanced, world-class, integrated training system to future generations of RCAF aircrew,” said Jacques Comtois, vice president and general manager of L3 MAS. “L3 MAS will leverage our proven fleet management and ISS capabilities across many of the RCAF's major fleets to ensure maximum asset availability and best value.” Lockheed Martin was selected as a qualified supplier for the FAcT project in December 2018. The Lockheed Martin Canada-L3 MAS team will be supported by a wide range of Canadian companies. About Lockheed Martin Canada Lockheed Martin Canada, headquartered in Ottawa, is the Canadian-based arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, a global security and aerospace company employing 100,000 people worldwide. Lockheed Martin Canada has been Canada's trusted defence partner for nearly 80 years specializing in the development, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The company employs approximately 1,000 employees at major facilities in Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary, and Victoria, working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and commercial sectors. About L3 MAS L3 MAS, a division within L3's ISR Systems business segment, is Canada's leading In-Service Support (ISS) integrator. L3 MAS delivers innovative and integrated solutions that span the full spectrum of ISS. This includes fleet management, annual maintenance planning and optimization; Life-Cycle Material Management (LCMM); Integrated Logistics Support (ILS); Electronic Information Environments (EIE); systems engineering; material management; configuration management; publications; and data management. L3 MAS is also known for its design, prototyping, manufacture, repair and overhaul, and certification of aerospace components. The company is headquartered in Mirabel, Quebec, and employs 800 people at operating centres across Canada. To learn more about L3 MAS, please visit the company's website at www.L3T.com/MAS. https://www.lockheedmartin.ca/ca/news/2016/lockheed-martin-canada-and-l3-mas-join-forces-to-pursue-the-roya.html

QUÉBEC, le 7 déc. 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - L'Assemblée nationale du Québec a adopté à l'unanimité une motion soutenant la réforme de la Stratégie nationale de construction navale du gouvernement fédéral. La motion presse le gouvernement fédéral d'adhérer aux recommandations de la Chambre des Communes et du Sénat qui réclament la construction immédiate au Chantier Davie d'un deuxième navire ravitailleur de la classe Resolve ainsi que d'une nouvelle flotte de brise-glaces pour la Garde côtière canadienne. Au cours de l'année 2017, le gouvernement fédéral a passé en revue la Stratégie nationale de construction navale afin de pallier aux lacunes détectées et de comme ncer à livrer des navires pour le Canada de manière rentable et dans les meilleurs délais. Les travailleurs et fournisseurs de l'industrie maritime du Québec attendent maintenant la refonte longuement espérée de cette politique. James Davies, président de Chantier Davie Canada, a déclaré, « Le premier navire ravitailleur de la classe Resolve, Astérix, est utilisé à sa pleine capacité depuis son entrée en service en janvier 2018. Afin de garantir la réussite de la politique de la défense du gouvernement - Protection, Sécurité, Engagement - ainsi que du plan Landmark 2050 de la Marine, nous devons débuter la construction du deuxième navire dès maintenant. Je voudrais également souligner le leadership exemplaire de l'adjoint parlementaire du premier ministre du Québec, M. Donald Martel, dans ce dossier de première importance pour le nouveau gouvernement du Québec ainsi que du député des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Joël Arseneau, pour avoir appuyé la motion visant l'inclusion du Québec au sein de la Stratégie de construction navale. » Jacques Létourneau, président de la CSN a ajouté, « Le temps a démontré qu'une stratégie de construction navale qui laisse de côté 50 % de la capacité de production canadienne ne sera jamais « nationale » et encore moins couronnée de succès. Sept ans plus tard, aucun navire n'a été livré et des milliards de dollars ont été gaspillés. » Richard Tremblay, vice-président de l'Association des fournisseurs de Chantier Davie Canada, a déclaré, « Le rapport Emerson (2016) est catégorique : les navires de la Marine et de la Garde côtière rouillent plus rapidement qu'ils ne peuvent être remplacés. Même si le gouvernement actuel a hérité de cette stratégie vacillante, il est maintenant responsable de trouver une solution et les 879 fournisseurs québécois de Chantier Davie sont prêts à aider. » NOTE AUX ÉDITEURS : À propos de Davie Davie et Federal Fleet Services font partie du groupe Inocea. Alors que Davie se concentre sur la construction de navires, Federal Fleet s'assure de l'obtention de contrats et de la location des navires. Davie est le plus grand chantier naval et le plus expérimenté du Canada. Il est aussi celui qui dispose de la plus grande capacité de production, c'est-à-dire 50 % de la capacité totale du pays. Au cours des cinq dernières années, Davie a généré plus de 2 milliards de dollars en retombées économiques au Canada et employait jusqu'à tout récemment, directement et indirectement, plus de 3 000 Canadiens, dont plus de 1 400 travaillant au chantier de Lévis, au Québec. Depuis plus d'un siècle, Davie s'occupe de la construction navale et de la réparation de navires au Canada pour chaque classe de b'timent naval majeur. Aujourd'hui, Davie est un chef de file dans le domaine du déglaçage, du GNL et de la technologie de positionnement dynamique, ainsi que de la construction de navires militaires et d'autres navires essentiels. Davie est certifié ISO 9001:2015 en assurance qualité ainsi que ISO 14001:2015 en gestion environnementale. Le premier navire ravitailleur construit par Davie, l'Astérix, a été le premier navire militaire à joindre les rangs de l'Alliance verte, le plus important programme volontaire de certification environnementale pour l'industrie maritime en Amérique du Nord. SOURCE Chantier Davie Canada Inc. Renseignements : Frédérik Boisvert, Vice-président, Affaires publiques, Chantier Davie, Tel : +1-418-455-2759, frederik.boisvert@davie.ca; François L'Écuyer, Directeur des communications de la CSN, Tel : +1-514-949-8973, francois.lecuyer@csn.qc.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/lassemblee-nationale-du-quebec-adopte-a-lunanimite-une-motion-soutenant-la-reforme-de-la-strategie-nationale-de-construction-navale-du-gouvernement-federal-702204121.html

Tristin Hopper The Canadian Army brought 20 pistols to an Arkansas shooting competition. Before events had even officially kicked off, 15 of those pistols had jammed so badly during the warmup they couldn't be used. “It was so bad, the guys coming off (the range) were handing over their (remaining five) pistols to the next team because they couldn't trust the others,” said Ken Pole, who wrote about the incident for a feature in Canadian Army Today. On average, Pole found that the Canadians' handguns has jammed once every 62 shots. Their British competitors, by contrast, squeezed off 5,620 rounds without a hitch. This is all pretty standard for the Browning Hi-Power, the 74-year-old pistol still carried as the primary sidearm of the Canadian Armed Forces. Unlike most pistols carried by G7 militaries, Brownings have a tendency to rattle and soldiers have been advised not to fully load the pistol because it will wear out the springs. When a Canadian soldier is deployed to a war zone such as Afghanistan or Mali, they're issued with whatever Browning Hi-Power is deemed to be least likely to give out. That's why some have joked that if they're ever forced to use their sidearm in combat, they'd be better off throwing it than shooting it. “If you give me a choice of a sharp stick or a Browning, I'll ... sadly take the Browning but will look fondly at the stick,” Bob Kinch, a former competitive marksman with the Canadian Armed Forces, wrote in a September Quora post. Like many times when the Canadian military tries to buy something, however, the quest to replace the Browning is now held up in a years-long procurement limbo. A 2016 statement by the Department of National Defence estimated that soldiers wouldn't be able to get their hands on new pistols until at least 2026. Canada's Hi-Powers are so desperately obsolete, however, that the army has been forced to greenlight a stopgap program to buy up some working pistols in the meantime. Known as the “Army Interim Pistol Program,” it will buy about 7,000 sidearms to immediate plug what the army is calling its “current pistol capability gaps.” Full article: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadas-wwii-era-pistols-dangerously-unreliable-but-the-quest-to-find-a-replacement-drags-on

Project could lead to a new polar radar system to monitor the Canadian north CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 4, 2018 /CNW/ -- Raytheon Canada Limited (RCL), a subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN), will design, build and install two over-the-horizon radar sites in Canada's polar region to determine what effects, if any, the Aurora Borealis has on target detection along the Canadian north. These two contracts, totaling $30 million, resulted from a competitive solicitation posted on BuyandSell.gc.ca by Public Services & Procurement Canada on behalf of the Department of National Defence. These contracts will enable Defence Research and Development Canada to conduct a feasibility study of using sky-wave Over-The-Horizon Radar technology, in the arctic, to determine the effect of the Aurora Borealis on target detection beyond line-of-site. Working with Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services, RCL will build two test sites to gauge how the Northern Lights may impact operations. Should those tests prove successful, Canada may decide to build additional radar sites to monitor its increasingly accessible arctic waterways. "Raytheon built and operates a similar radar system in the U.S. which has been key to defending America's borders," said David Appel, director for mission systems at Raytheon IIS. "A full over-the-horizon radar will monitor the arctic, as those waters have become more accessible to shipping traffic." Raytheon also will work with local companies to design and build the system. "We will be working with Canadian suppliers to secure the Canadian north," said Terry Manion, RCL vice president and general manager. "We understand the environment and can provide crucial technologies which may lead to significant long term economic growth." About Raytheon Canada Limited Raytheon Canada Limited (RCL) is a subsidiary of Raytheon Company. RCL is a leader in high technology solutions, engineering services, surveillance and navigation systems including air traffic control radars, highway traffic management systems, maritime surveillance radars and systems, and precision optics. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2017 sales of $25 billion and 64,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 96 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I™ products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. Follow us on Twitter. Media Contact Chris Johnson +1-571-250-3418 Chris.Johnson@raytheon.com SOURCE Raytheon Company https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/raytheon-building-canadian-radar-to-test-effects-of-aurora-borealis-701865451.html

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen and Tyler Dawson DND officials said there had been consultation about the move with local politicians. 'It's totally not true,' said local MP David Yurdiga The federal government will create a new centre of excellence in Ottawa to support aircraft testing, but it will come at the cost of relocating staff and shutting down existing military facilities in Alberta. The move affects the Canadian military's Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment, or AETE, which has been at Cold Lake, Alta. since 1971. Under the new plan AETE would be relocated to the international airport in Ottawa and partnered with the National Research Council Flight Research Laboratory and Transport Canada Aircraft Services Directorate to create a centre of excellence for flight testing and evaluation. The move would affect almost one-third of the unit, which employs 166 military personnel and 22 public servants. The remaining two-thirds would be reassigned to other air force functions, said Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier. Moving AETE will save $14 million a year and free up space for the arrival of more fighter jets at Cold Lake. Canada is in the process of purchasing used fighter aircraft from Australia and the federal government has committed to buying 88 new jets to replace the existing fleet of CF-18s. “This partnership will streamline our flight testing and evaluation capability, while ensuring sufficient space is available for the arrival of additional fighter aircraft in Cold Lake,” Le Bouthillier said. The move, however, is not sitting well with local politicians. David Yurdiga, the Conservative MP for the area, said he'd heard about the move on Monday when it was raised at the House Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts. DND officials briefing the committee said there had been consultation about the move with local politicians. “It's totally not true,” said Yurdiga. Craig Copeland, the mayor of Cold Lake, said the city hasn't yet received a briefing from officials in Ottawa. “It's been sort of verbally mentioned over the years that there would be a re-org,” he explained. “We're hoping to get somebody to brief us.” Details about the exact number of jobs that will be moved from Alberta are still not clear. It is not known how many of the air force personnel who will be reassigned to new jobs would continue to operate from Cold Lake. Yurdiga said the loss of jobs would hit the community hard but he added that defence minister Harjit Sajjan had assured him there would be a “net benefit” to the community. “Cold Lake can't afford to lose even one position,” Yurdiga said. “There are so many unanswered questions and uncertainty is what the community is facing,” he added. Copeland said he had heard an estimate of 50 jobs being lost. That would be a real blow to the area, already suffering from depressed oil prices, and with a home foreclosure rate, he said, of around 10 per cent. “That is concerning to me,” Copeland said. “On the one hand it's tough to see people leave our community but on the other hands, we are hopeful — and expecting — that the Canadian military's going to be investing (locally) for the new fighter jet program.” AETE currently occupies the second-largest and newest hangar at Cold Lake, which will be repurposed for other air force needs, including the new fighter program. The final details of the move are still being worked on, including costs, Le Bouthillier said. DND is in ongoing discussions with the Ottawa International Airport Authority regarding the location of the new centre, he added. The costs for relocating AETE are included in the $470 million the Liberal government has set aside for buying the used Australian F-18 fighter jets, and would not take place before summer 2021. The Cold Lake location was primarily selected for AETE because of the large evaluation range nearby and its favourable climate for flight testing. AETE employs test pilots, flight test engineers, qualified systems evaluators, specialist engineers, and technologists. Postmedia first revealed the proposal to move AETE in April 2016. The plan first started under the Conservative government but the Liberals continued with the relocation initiative. At the time the Canadian Forces said it would still use the bombing ranges associated with the Cold Lake installation but other test work could be moved. At the time, the military told defence industry representatives the remote Cold Lake location made it challenging to attract or retain people and that relocating could save money. https://nationalpost.com/news/so-many-unanswered-questions-feds-to-move-military-aircraft-testing-from-alberta-to-ottawa-but-locals-say-theyre-in-the-dark

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN The Royal Canadian Air Force will be operating the first nine aircraft from its new fleet of fighter jets starting in 2026, Department of National Defence officials say. But at least one member of parliament questions whether the federal government will be able to meet its timetable to replace the CF-18 fighter fleet with advanced aircraft. MPs on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts received more details on Monday about the Liberal government's plan to buy 88 new fighter jets. Aircraft expected in the competition include Lockheed Martin's F-35, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab's Gripen and the Boeing Super Hornet. Pat Finn, assistant deputy minister for materiel at the DND, told MPS that the formal request for proposals will go out in the spring of 2019. Negotiations would be held in 2021 and a contract awarded in 2022. “We have tried to be very judicious and not have too risky a schedule to try to achieve some of that,” Finn explained to MPs. “But from the bids until the signing of the contract is where we've given ourselves two years for the competitive dialogue, the final negotiations and the various approvals we need to get, signing the contract in 2022.” The first aircraft would be delivered in 2025. Finn said this schedule has been shared with all the potential bidders and “they're comfortable with that approach.” Jody Thomas, the DND deputy minister, told MPs that the plan is to “achieve initial operating capability by 2026 with nine advanced fighters ready to fulfill the NORAD mission.” But one committee member, Conservative MP Pat Kelly, was wary of whether the aircraft acquisition would proceed as scheduled. The plan, he told Finn, doesn't leave a lot of margin for error. Everything would have to run like clockwork to meet the timetable and Kelly questioned if that would even be possible given the track record of defence procurement over the years. “We just don't have time in this for the kinds of delays and the kinds of failures of procurement that we have seen in other programs,” Kelly said. “I shudder to think of what many Canadians listening to this hearing might think about. What has the potential to go wrong to get to 2025? I'm going to leave it at that.” https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/first-nine-new-rcaf-fighter-jets-to-be-operating-in-2026-but-conservative-mp-has-his-doubts

Le 7 décembre 2018 – Greenwood (Nouvelle-Écosse) – Défense nationale/Forces armées canadiennes En vertu de la politique de défense du Canada, Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, le gouvernement du Canada écologise les infrastructures de défense et lutte contre les changements climatiques. Le ministère de la Défense nationale (MDN) élargit le recours aux contrats de rendement énergétique afin d'améliorer l'efficacité énergétique de nos infrastructures militaires et de fournir à notre personnel des installations modernes et écologiques dans lesquelles travailler et s'entraîner. Au nom de Harjit S. Sajjan, ministre de la Défense, Colin Fraser, député de Nova-Ouest, a attribué aujourd'hui un contrat de rendement énergétique relatif à la 14e Escadre Greenwood. Dans le cadre du projet de 20,5 millions de dollars, 102 b'timents seront mis à niveau avec des mesures d'efficacité énergétique allant de nouvel éclairage à DEL à des systèmes de ventilation efficaces. L'installation de chauffage central de l'escadre sera également mise à niveau vers une source de carburant plus propre au gaz naturel. On s'attend à ce que ces mises à niveau réduisent les coûts énergétiques annuels de l'escadre d'environ 900 000 $, soit 13 %, et réduisent les émissions de gaz à effet de serre de près de 7 500 tonnes par année. Le MDN a un certain nombre de contrats de rendement énergétique qui se trouvent à diverses étapes d'élaboration et de mise en œuvre dans des bases partout au Canada. Dans le cadre de ces contrats, une entreprise est engagée pour payer et exécuter un projet de rénovation énergétique dans une base ou une escadre. L'argent économisé en coûts énergétiques est ensuite utilisé pour rembourser l'entreprise sur une période de cinq à quinze ans, ce qui réduit au minimum les coûts initiaux pour le contribuable, et garantit que les mises à niveau produisent des économies. Citations « Ces contrats de rendement énergétique représentent les formidables travaux en cours à l'échelle du Canada afin de rendre notre infrastructure de défense plus durable et éconergétique. Ces travaux profitent à notre personnel en modernisant les endroits où ils travaillent et s'entraînent, tout en diminuant considérablement nos émissions de carbone afin de nous aider à atteindre un avenir plus vert pour tous les Canadiens. » Harjit S. Sajjan, ministre de la Défense « Je suis ravi de voir ce projet d'énergie verte aller de l'avant pour la base Greenwood. Cet investissement de 20,5 millions de dollars créera des possibilités économiques pour la communauté du comté de Kings, tout en démontrant que des opérations gouvernementales plus écologiques et plus durables sont aussi bénéfiques pour l'économie que pour l'environnement. » Colin Fraser, député de Nova-Ouest Faits en bref Le contrat relatif aux mises à niveau et aux rénovations énergétiques à la 14e Escadre Greenwood a été attribué à MCW Custom Energy Solutions Ltd. Des contrats semblables sont en cours d'élaboration pour Bagotville, Shilo, Alert, Comox, Borden, Trenton, Kingston, Gagetown, Halifax, Montréal, Saint-Jean et Goose Bay. En plus de Greenwood, des projets sont en cours à Valcartier, à Esquimalt et à Petawawa. On s'attend à ce que le projet réduise les émissions annuelles de GES de la 14e Escadre de 7 500 tonnes, ce qui équivaut à éliminer 1 600 véhicules de la circulation. Comme il est énoncé dans la politique de défense du Canada, Protection, Sécurité, Engagement, le MDN améliore son infrastructure pour obtenir une réduction de 40 % des émissions de gaz à effet de serre (par rapport aux niveaux de 2005) d'ici 2030. La mise en œuvre de nouveaux contrats de rendement énergétique dans les bases et les escadres dans l'ensemble du Canada appuie l'objectif de faibles émissions de carbone du gouvernement et le nouvel objectif de réduction des émissions de 80 % d'ici 2050. La stratégie générale en matière d'énergie et d'environnement de la Défense renforce la capacité du MDN à écologiser ses opérations et à s'adapter aux répercussions des changements climatiques en intégrant des mesures d'adaptation, y compris des contrats de rendement énergétique, à ses politiques et à ses pratiques. Construction de Défense Canada et Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada sont les partenaires du MDN pour l'acquisition des services auprès de sociétés de services énergétiques afin de moderniser et d'écologiser les infrastructures de défense. https://www.canada.ca/fr/ministere-defense-nationale/nouvelles/2018/12/attribution-dun-contrat-defficacite-energetique-relatif-a-la-14e-escadre-greenwood.html

Simthetiq has been awarded a new contract under the CASE SEM contract from the Canadian Department on National Defence (NDN) to grow the Canadian Armed Forces's (CAF) access to additional simulation entity models from their interoperable 3D Model Library. Simthetiq was selected in 2016 for the unique benefits offered by their X1 library, such as the ability to publish to multiple simulation formats, accessto source files and the capacity to further enhance the 3D models with crucial functionalities such as material encoding for sensor/thermal simulation. Vincent Cloutier, CEO of Simthetiq said “We are extremely proud of our continuing role as a supplier to the Canadian DND. We are looking forward to supporting the growing needs of existing and new CAF customers as well as expanding the use of Simthetiq's library by other allied nations.” http://www.canadiandefencereview.com/news?news/2584